Dipping machine



TI STARK.

DIPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED (JG-1118,1920,

Patented May 16, 1922.

vet-: b21121 1%? was Jfani" UNITED STATES THOMAS STARK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DIPPING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1922.

Application filed October 18, 1920. Serial No. 417,601.

To a]?- "whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, THOMAS Smirk, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Dipping Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates more particularly to a dipping conveyer device for carrying articles through a mass of paint in a pit or receptacle, and comprises an endless conveying means which receives the articles before they are dipped and discharges the same after they are dipped.

It is an object of this invention to provide a continuously operating device having independent operating means whereby the palnt will be prevented from coming in con tact with the operating machinery or the operator thereof.

It is a further object of this invention to construct a conveyer which readily allows the paint to have access to all parts of the device that is being dipped.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a conveyer that thoroughly stirs the paint.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a feeding device that carries the articles to the conveyern Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description'and disclosures in the drawing.

My invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a dipping pit showing the arrangement of the parts involving my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged section of the dipping pit and conveyor device.

Figure 3 is a top; plan viewof my machine-showing the procedure with relation to the articles.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the conveying means.

As shown on the drawings:

Referring now to the d awings in which similar reference numerals refer to similar parts in the different views, it will be seen that I have illustrated a pit 1 in the earth as the paint holding receptacle, having an approach A and an inclined discharging surface B for allowing the paint to run back in the pit. In this pit is arranged my endless dipping conveyer which may assume various forms; but for the purposes of illustrating my invention, I have. preferably shown a chain or conveying member 2 comprising a pair of sprocket parts or chains 3 connected by cross rods -'L thus producing a conveying device upon which articles can be easily carried. This chain member 2 is trained over a pair of sprocket gears 5 registering with the sprocket parts or chains 3, and a second pair of similar sprocket gears 6 lo ated below the sprockets 5 and spaced therefrom. These sprockets 5 and 6 are mounted in a frame standard 7 of suitable construction so as to extend over a portion of the pitor paint receptacle 1. The upper half of the conveying member 2 is sloped downwardly in the pit to the center line thereof where it is trained over a roller 8 from whence. it returns for a short distance in a downward direction and passes around a pair of sprocket gears 9. From the sprocket gears 9, the dipping conveyer member leads to the farther side of the top of the pit where the same is trained over a pair of sprocket gears 10 supported on a standard 11, and from whence it returns in a downward direction to a point on the center line near the bottom of the pit where the same is trained over a pair of sprocket gears 12. From the latter sprocket gear the conveyer member connects directly with the aforementioned sprockets 6. The arrange ment is such that a loop 13 is nrovided in the upper or carrying part of the conveyor member affording a; gap between the upwardly inclined portions over which the articles must pass as they are being dipped so that all portions thereof may be readily brought in contact with the paint, and that the articles may not be obstructed by being forced to pass over the gear 9. The roller 8 and gears 9 and 12 may be supported in the paint pit 1 in any well known mechanical manner.

The endless conveyer 2 is. preferably driven by means of a small endless sprocket chain l4; trained around a small sprocket 15 secured on an extended end of the shaft that sup 'iorts the sprocket 6: sprocket chain ll being driven by a small sprocket 16 seill) cured to a shaft driven by the feeding mechanism. The article feeding mechanism is shown as comprising an endless member 17 which may be similar to the conveying member 2, and which is trained over a plurality of sprockets l8 and 19 as shown in Figure 1, the upper sprockets 18 being located in proximity to the sprockets 5 and upon substantially the same elevation so that the articles may readily pass from the feeding conveyer 17 to the dipping conveyer 2. The feeding mechanism may be driven by any sourceof power. In the present embodiment of my invention, .a belt drive 20 has been illustrated for driving the feeding mechanism.

Operation The articles to be dipped are brought to the front end of the feeding mechanism where they are put upon the feeding conveyer. In case of wheels such as are shown in the drawings the hubs of the wheels may be engaged by the cross rods of the feeding conveyer and lifted thereon, and assuming that the mechanism is in operation and the pit has been filled with paint, the articles will be carried from the feeding conveyer 17 to the dipping conveyer 2, which will carry them through the paint pit, the articles jumping the gap between the downwardly inclined entering portion and the upwardly inclined out-going portion. During =-the transition, the entire area of each article will be presented to the paint, .and when each article is cast oil" at the left hand end of the conveyer as shown in Figure 1, it will be thoroughly covered with paint. It should be particularly noted that during operation the dipping conveyer member 2 does not move beyond the boundary of the pit and hence the liability of paint coming in contact with thedriving'or feeding mechanism or the operator is practically eliminated.

It will accordingly be observed that my invention embodies a dipping mechanism of novel construction and arrangement which produces the best results in the least possible time, and protects the machinery and operator from paint, and thoroughly agitates the paint.

I am aware that numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, a paint pit, and means for dipping articles therein comprising a dipping conveyer member circulating in said pit, and so arranged as to provide a gap over which the articles must pass during the dipping operation.

2. In a device of the class described, a paint receptacle and means for carrying articles therethrough comprising an endless dipping conveyer mechanism having an inclined descending article carrying position and an upwardly inclined outwardly traveling position separated by a gap from said descending position.

3. In a device of the class described, a paint pit, an endless conveyer member circulatin therein for carrying articles to be paintetf down into said pit and out again, the article carrying portion of said member being doubled upon itself to define a loop, and means for operating said member.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS STARK.

Witnesses:

CARLTON HILL, EARL M. HARDINE. 

